U.S. Patent Classification System - Classification Definitions
as of June 30, 2000

Patents classified in a subclass may be accessed by either clicking on
the subclass number
preceding each subclass definition or on the
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Class 554

ORGANIC COMPOUNDS -- PART OF THE CLASS 532-570 SERIES

This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Compounds under
Class 532, ..., which are long-chain aliphatic monocarboxylic
acid derivatives, herein referred to as "fatty compounds",
characterized by having the carbonyl of (1) a carboxylic
acid, (2) a carboxylic acid salt, (3) a carboxylic acid
ester, or (4) a carboxylic acid amide bonded directly to one
end of an acyclic chain of at least seven uninterrupted
carbons, i.e., the acid moiety; wherein any additional
carbonyl group in the acid moiety is (1) part of an aldehyde
or ketone group, (2) bonded directly to a noncarbon atom
which is between the additional carbonyl and the chain, or
(3) attached indirectly to the chain by ionic bonding.
(1) Note. The term "fatty compounds" referred to throughout
the definitions is inclusive of fats, fatty oils, ester-type
waxes, higher fatty acids, salts, esters, amides, and fatty
still residues, the latter being the bottoms, tars, or
pitches resulting from distillation of fats, oils, and waxes,
e.g., stearine pitch. Fats and fatty oils are glycerides of
higher fatty acids, including naturally occurring mixtures
thereof present in a single oil or fat. Ester-type waxes are
essentially esters in chemical structure, e.g., beeswax,
montan wax, carnauba wax, and spermaceti.
(2) Note. Included herein are processes directed to the
preparation, treatment, modification, purification, or
recovery of fatty compounds by chemical or physical means
which do not involve the destruction of the acid moiety as
defined above, when such processes are not provided for
elsewhere.
(3) Note. The treatment of a mixture of fats, oils, or
waxes from different sources or a single oil, fat, or wax
with a mixture of reactants, to produce a particular
composition of matter having an art use for which there is a
class provided, is classified in the class providing for said
art use and cross-referenced hereinto when desirable.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
204, Chemistry: Electrical and Wave Energy, 157.6 for
methods of preparing and treating fatty compounds by
electrical or wave energy.
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products, subclass 1 for
mineral oil products which have the properties of natural
drying oils in that they dry or harden in contact with air
and processes of preparing the same.
426, Food or Edible Material: Processes, Compositions, and
Products, subclass 417 for patents claiming or solely
disclosing processes involving (1) the preparation or
treatment of edible triglyceridic fats or oils; or (2)
rendering processes to separate an edible triglyceridic fat
or oil from a starting material; and subclass 530 for
processes of treating butter or a butter substitute.
556, Organic Compounds, subclasses 437-442 for compounds
wherein the carbonyls of a silicon containing polycarboxylic
acid, salt, or ester are bonded directly to an acyclic carbon
chain of at least seven uninterrupted carbons.
558, Organic Compounds, 230 for compounds wherein the
thiocarbonyl of a thiocarbonic or thiocarboxylicester is
bonded directly to one end of an acyclic carbon chain of at
least seven uninterrupted carbons.
560, Organic Compounds, subclass 44, 54, 66, 76-99, 127, 146,
151, 171, 176, 180-182, and 190-204 for compounds wherein the
carbonyls of a polycarboxylic acid ester are bonded directly
to an acyclic carbon chain of at least seven uninterrupted
carbons.
562, Organic Compounds, 26 for compounds wherein the
thiocarbonyl of a thiocarbonic or thiocarboxylic acid is
bonded directly to one end of an acyclic carbon chain of at
least seven carbons; subclasses 480-489, 509, 568, 571-573,
578, 582-585, and 590-596 for compounds wherein the carbonyls
of a polycarboxylic acid or salt are bonded directly to an
acyclic carbon chain of at least seven uninterrupted carbons;
subclass 838 for compounds wherein the thiocarbonyl of a
thioacid halide is bonded directly to one end of an acyclic
carbon chain of at least seven uninterrupted carbons;
subclasses 840+ for compounds wherein the carbonyl of a
carboxylic acid halide is bonded directly to one end of an
acyclic carbon chain of at least seven uninterrupted carbons;
subclass 886 for compounds wherein the thiocarbonyl of a
thioanhydride is bonded directly to one end of an acyclic
carbon chain of at least seven uninterrupted carbons;
subclasses 887+ for compounds wherein the carbonyl of a
carboxylic acid anhydride is bonded directly to one end of an
acyclic carbon chain of at least seven uninterrupted
carbons.
564, Organic Compounds, subclass 78 for compounds wherein
the thiocarbonyl of a thiocarboxamide is bonded directly to
one end of an acyclic chain of at least seven uninterrupted
carbons; subclasses 152-160 for compounds wherein the
carbonyls of a polycarboxamide are bonded to an acyclic
carbon of at least seven uninterrupted carbons; subclass 254
for compounds which are O-esters of oximes, wherein the ester
forming group contains an acyclic chain of at least seven
uninterrupted carbons.
568, Organic Compounds, 303 and 700+ for compounds wherein
the carboxyl group of a fatty acid is converted into an oxo
or carbinol group.

This subclass is indented under subclass 2. Products wherein
the preservative or stabilizer contains at least one benzene
ring having at least one -OH group bonded directly thereto,
wherein H of the -OH may be replaced by metal or substituted
or unsubstituted ammonium.

This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Processes which
include the extraction of the fatty compound(s) directly from
animal or plant source material.
(1) Note. Included herein are processes such as the
recovery of fatty acid compounds from garbage, fish offal,
slaughter house waste, whole fish, olive fruit, etc.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
175 for processes directed to the purification of extracted
fatty compounds.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
100, Presses, for processes wherein a broadly claimed
extraction step is followed by a significant expressing
operation.
210, Liquid Purification or Separation, 600 for a process of
purifying or separating water or a generically claimed liquid
and for significant filtration or decantation treatments.

This subclass is indented under subclass 9. Processes
wherein the legume, nut, or seed source material is subjected
to the action of an organic solvent to dissolve out the fatty
compound(s).

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
15 or 17, for processes wherein water is utilized in a
solvent extraction.
(1) Note. Oil is not miscible with water so in the
subclasses wherein water or steam is added, the water or
steam is utilized as a heating medium or to dissolve out
nonoleaginous principles such as impurities.

This subclass is indented under subclass 12. Processes
wherein the extraction is carried out under a pressure
greater or less than atmospheric.
(1) Note. The pressure referred to in this subclass is
fluid pressure and not mechanical.

This subclass is indented under subclass 8. Processes
wherein water vapor or water is added to the source material
to facilitate extraction.
(1) Note. This subclass includes processes which are
directed to the melting out of the fatty compound from animal
or vegetable matter by heat using steam or water.

This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Processes which
are directed to chemically treating fatty oils to impart
drying or film-forming properties thereto, and the products
produced by said treatment.
(1) Note. Drying oils are characterized by becoming hard
and resinous in contact with the air (absorbing oxygen) and
are especially useful in the manufacture of varnishes and
coating compositions. Drying oils contain a great proportion
of polyethylenically unsaturated acids, usually conjugated.
This subclass includes processes of treating the commonly
known drying or semi-drying oils, such as linseed oil (which
may contain inhibitors for satisfactory drying), to improve
their drying properties, and processes of treating nondrying
oils, such as castor oil, to impart drying properties
thereto.
(2) Note. Fatty compounds produced from drying oils, which
compounds no longer retain drying properties, are classified
where appropriate elsewhere.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products, subclass 1 for
mineral oil products which have the properties of natural
drying oils and processes of preparing the same.

This subclass is indented under subclass 24. Processes which
are directed to polymerizing an oil, such as by heating or
oxidizing, and the polymerized products resulting therefrom.
(1) Note. Included herein are synthetic drying products
resulting from, for example, the interaction of unsaturated
fatty acid oils and polyhydric alcohol polyesters of aromatic
polycarboxylic acids.
(2) Note. The process of thermally polymerizing oils is
commonly termed "bodying" of oils and the resulting products,
"bodied oils", which describes oils whose mean molecular
weight, specific gravity, and viscosity have been increased
by the application of heat.

This subclass is indented under subclass 25. Processes which
include, in addition to the oil reactant, at least one other
organic compound in the polymerization reaction, such as a
catalyst, promoter, or reactant.

This subclass is indented under subclass 24. Processes which
are directed to dehydrating a starting material or forming
carbon to carbon unsaturation in a starting material to
impart drying properties thereto.
(1) Note. Provided for herein are processes directed to (1)
the removal of water from compounds such as hydroxylated
fatty acids or oils, or (2) the formation of conjugated
unsaturation by dehydrogenation or dehalohydrogenation, etc.

This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Compounds which
are fatty acid amides, i.e., compounds having an acyclic
chain of at least seven uninterrupted carbons bonded directly
to the carbonyl of a -C(=O)- NH(H) group, wherein the
hydrogens may be substituted.
(1) Note. This subclass contains, for example: [figure]

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
564, Organic Compounds, 152 for compounds having plural
carboxamide groups bonded through their carbonyls to each end
of an acyclic carbon chain of any length.

This subclass is indented under subclass 42. Compounds
wherein sulfur is bonded directly to the carboxamide nitrogen
or to an additional nitrogen.
(1) Note. This subclass contains, for example: [figure]
[figure]

This subclass is indented under subclass 44. Compounds
wherein the carboxamide nitrogen and a -S(=O)(=O)-O-X group
are attached to each other through an acyclic carbon chain,
where X is hydrogen or a metal.
(1) Note. This subclass contains, for example: [figure]

This subclass is indented under subclass 51. Compounds
wherein the additional nitrogen is in a quaternary ammonium
group; i.e., a pentavalent nitrogen is bonded by four
valences to carbon.
(1) Note. This subclass contains, for example: [figure]

This subclass is indented under subclass 51. Compounds which
contain the -NH[subscrpt]2[end subscrpt] or
-NH-NH[subscrpt]2[end subscrpt] group, wherein substitution
may be made for hydrogen only.
(1) Note. This subclass contains, for example: [figure]

This subclass is indented under subclass 51. Compounds which
contain a -CN group or a -NH-NH[subscrpt]2[end subscrpt]
group, wherein substitution may be made for hydrogen only.
(1) Note. This subclass contains, for example: [figure]
[figure]

This subclass is indented under subclass 51. Compounds which
contain halogen or plural oxygens, i.e., oxygen in addition
to the carboxamide oxygen.
(1) Note. This subclass contains, for example: [figure]

This subclass is indented under subclass 61. Compounds which
contain an hydroxyalkyl group bonded directly to the
carboxamide nitrogen through a carbon of the group.
(1) Note. This subclass contains, for example: [figure]

This subclass is indented under subclass 68. Processes which
are directed to the formation of the carboxamide group; e.g.,
by reacting a fatty acid, salt, ester, acid halide, or
anhydride with ammonia or an amino nitrogen containing
compound.

This subclass is indented under subclass 88. Compounds which
are sulfo-aromatic fatty acids prepared by the action of
sulfuric acid on an aromatic hydrocarbon such as naphthalene,
and a fatty compound, such as castor oil or oleic acid.
(1) Note. Twitchell reagent and Pfeilring reagent are fat
hydrolysis catalysts.

This subclass is indented under subclass 90. Compounds
wherein-S(=O)(=O)-O-X is attached indirectly through a single
carbon or carbon chain to the single bonded oxygen of the -O-
group, wherein X is hydrogen or a cation.
(1) Note. This subclass contains, for example: [figure]

This subclass is indented under subclass 96. Processes
wherein the compound is prepared by a sulfonation reaction
which is carried out in the presence of (1) a lower
carboxylic acid (i.e., the uninterrupted carbon chain in the
acid moiety contains fewer than seven carbons), (2) an
anhydride thereof, (3) an acid halide thereof, or (4) a
phosphorus containing material.

This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Compounds which
contain, in addition to the carbonyl of the -C(=O)O- group, a
carbonyl group, i.e., -C(=O)-, in the acid moiety.
(1) Note. This subclass contains, for example: [figure]

This subclass is indented under subclass 121. Compounds
which contain, in addition to the carbonyl of the -C(=O)O-
group, two or more carbonyls in the acid moiety, at least one
of which is in a -C(=O)O- group.
(1) Note. This subclass contains, for example: [figure]

This subclass is indented under subclass 124. Processes
wherein the fatty compound is prepared by reacting an organic
compound (usually an unsaturated hydrocarbon) with (1) carbon
monoxide, (2) carbon dioxide, or (3) a carbon oxide and
hydrogen or water.

This subclass is indented under subclass 124. Processes
wherein the fatty compound is prepared by the addition of
hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst.
(1) Note. Included herein are processes utilizing sodium
borohydride, nascent hydrogen, etc., as a reducing agent.

This subclass is indented under subclass 141. Processes
wherein conversion of a functional group occurs during the
course of hydrogenation (addition of hydrogen).
(1) Note. Some examples of hydrogenolysis are conversion of
an oxo carbonyl group to hydroxy; of a hydroxy group to
hydrogen, etc.

This subclass is indented under subclass 161. Processes
wherein the single bonded oxygen of the -C(=O)O- group is
bonded directly to an additional carbon, which carbon may be
single bonded to any atom but may be multiple bonded only to
carbon (i.e., a carboxylic acid ester).

This subclass is indented under subclass 163. Processes
which include a reactant containing an -OH group bonded
directly to carbon, which carbon may be single bonded to any
atom but may be multiple bonded only to carbon (e.g., an
alcohol, phenol, etc.).

This subclass is indented under subclass 163. Processes
wherein glycerol esters, i.e., glycerides, are treated,
(e.g., by heat, with catalyst, etc.) to cause the
rearrangement of the -C(=O)O- groups, resulting in a
different ester or mixture of esters.
(1) Note. Glycerides, or glycerol esters, are depicted
thusly, as illustrated, below, wherein R= the same or
different fatty acid radical.

This subclass is indented under subclass 161. Processes
which include an additional reactant, which reactant contains
an -OH group bonded directly to carbon, which carbon may be
single bonded to any atom but may be multiple bonded only to
carbon (e.g., an alcohol, phenol, etc.).

This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Processes
wherein the hydrogen of a -C(=O)OH group of a free fatty acid
is replaced by a carbon atom, which carbon may be single
bonded to any atom but multiple bonded only to carbon, to
reduce the free fatty acid content of the fatty compound
source material or to facilitate separation of the
constituents of the mixture.

This subclass is indented under subclass 175. Processes
wherein a fatty compound is treated to remove a metal or
metal compound therefrom.
(1) Note. This subclass contains patents wherein the claims
specify the removal of a metal or a metal compound, as well
as patents with broad claims wherein the disclosure is
limited to the removal of a metal or a metal compound.

This subclass is indented under subclass 177. Processes
wherein a hydrocarbon or a halohydrocarbon is utilized as a
treating agent.
(1) Note. A hydrocarbon is composed solely of carbon and
hydrogen, and a halohydrocarbon of carbon, hydrogen and
halogen.

This subclass is indented under subclass 175. Processes
wherein a sorbent material, such as activated carbon, clay,
or synthetic resin, is utilized.
(1) Note. Included herein are processes wherein a mixture
containing fatty compound(s) is treated with the sorbent to
absorb fatty compound(s) or to absorb certain other fractions
therefrom.

This subclass is indented under subclass 175. Processes
wherein the treating agent contains a Group IA or Group IIA
light metal.
(1) Note. The Group IA light metals are Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs
and the Group IIA light metals are Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba.

This subclass is indented under subclass 195. Processes
which include utilizing a silicon containing treating agent.
(1) Note. The silicon containing agent may be in addition
to the Group IA or IIA metal containing agent or the silicon
and Group IA or IIA metal may be in the same agent.

This subclass is indented under subclass 195. Processes
which include an inorganic halogen containing treating agent;
the halogen may be in the same compound as the Group IA or
IIA metal or the halogen containing compound may be an
additional treating agent.

This subclass is indented under subclass 195. Processes
wherein the fatty compound source material is a mixture
including another specified organic treating agent, or
wherein an organic treating agent is added to the source
material.

This subclass is indented under subclass 206. Processes
which involve (1) the change in solution from a dissolved,
molten, liquid or gaseous state to a solid state of definite,
ordered and characteristic shape (crystallization) or (2) the
formation of solid particles in a solution with settling out
(precipitation).

This subclass is indented under subclass 175. Processes
which involve (1) the change in solution from a dissolved,
molten, liquid or gaseous state to a solid state of definite,
ordered and characteristic shape (crystallization) or (2) the
formation of solid particles in a solution with settling out
(precipitation).

This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Compounds
wherein the acid moiety contains oxygen in addition to those
of the carboxylic acid, salt or ester group.
(1) Note. This subclass contains, for example: [figure]

This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Compounds
wherein the acid moiety contains an acyclic ethylenic double
bond or an acetylenic triple bond.
(1) Note. Products referred to as being unsaturated with no
specificity regarding the degree of unsaturation are included
in this subclass, as well as "named" products commonly known
to possess unsaturation. Also included herein are products
which consist of mixtures of saturated and unsaturated fatty
acids and/or esters, unless a constituent of the mixture is
provided for in a higher subclass, or a claim is directed to
a specific constituent provided for elsewhere.

This subclass is indented under subclass 223. Compounds
which contain two or more unsaturated linkages, which may be
ethylenic double bonds, acetylenic triple bonds or a
combination of double and triple bonds.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
24 for products referred to as modified or synthetic drying
oils or bodied oils which products may contain acyclic
polyunsaturation in an acid moiety.

This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Compounds
wherein, in a fatty acid ester, the alcohol moiety contains,
in addition to the esterified hydroxy group, another hydroxy
group, wherein the hydrogen of the additional hydroxy group
may be substituted by acyl, an alcoholate-forming group or a
hydrocarbon radical.